Global terrestrial nitrogen fixation and its modification by agriculture

Carla R. Reis Ely (), Steven S. Perakis, Cory C. Cleveland, Duncan N. L. Menge, Sasha C. Reed, Benton N. Taylor, Sarah A. Batterman, Christopher M. Clark, Timothy E. Crews, Katherine A. Dynarski, Maga Gei, Michael J. Gundale, David F. Herridge, Sarah E. Jovan, Sian Kou-Giesbrecht, Mark B. Peoples, Johannes Piipponen, Emilio Rodríguez-Caballero, Verity G. Salmon, Fiona M. Soper, Anika P. Staccone, Bettina Weber, Christopher A. Williams and Nina Wurzburger
Additional contact information
Carla R. Reis Ely: Oregon State University
Steven S. Perakis: United States Geological Survey
Cory C. Cleveland: University of Montana
Duncan N. L. Menge: Columbia University
Sasha C. Reed: United States Geological Survey
Benton N. Taylor: Harvard University
Sarah A. Batterman: Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Christopher M. Clark: US Environmental Protection Agency
Timothy E. Crews: The Land Institute
Katherine A. Dynarski: University of Montana
Maga Gei: Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Michael J. Gundale: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
David F. Herridge: University of New England
Sarah E. Jovan: USDA Forest Service
Sian Kou-Giesbrecht: Dalhousie University
Mark B. Peoples: CSIRO
Johannes Piipponen: Aalto University
Emilio Rodríguez-Caballero: Universidad de Almería
Verity G. Salmon: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Fiona M. Soper: McGill University
Anika P. Staccone: Earthshot Labs
Bettina Weber: Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
Christopher A. Williams: Clark University
Nina Wurzburger: University of Georgia

Nature, 2025, vol. 643, issue 8072, 705-711

Abstract: Abstract Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the largest natural source of new nitrogen (N) that supports terrestrial productivity1,2, yet estimates of global terrestrial BNF remain highly uncertain3,4. Here we show that this uncertainty is partly because of sampling bias, as field BNF measurements in natural terrestrial ecosystems occur where N fixers are 17 times more prevalent than their mean abundances worldwide. To correct this bias, we develop new estimates of global terrestrial BNF by upscaling field BNF measurements using spatially explicit abundances of all major biogeochemical N-fixing niches. We find that natural biomes sustain lower BNF, 65 (52–77) Tg N yr−1, than previous empirical bottom-up estimates3,4, with most BNF occurring in tropical forests and drylands. We also find high agricultural BNF in croplands and cultivated pastures, 56 (54–58) Tg N yr−1. Agricultural BNF has increased terrestrial BNF by 64% and total terrestrial N inputs from all sources by 60% over pre-industrial levels. Our results indicate that BNF may impose stronger constraints on the carbon sink in natural terrestrial biomes and represent a larger source of agricultural N than is generally considered in analyses of the global N cycle5,6, with implications for proposed safe operating limits for N use7,8.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09201-w

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